Many people have the habit of taking a short sleep during the day, also known as napping. To many people this habit is connected to their ability to achieve their daily tasks. Many medical studies conducted to gage the effects of napping in general concluded that there was a direct relationship between napping during the daytime and the mental capabilities of students.
Young students can benefit from napping, provided they are aware of certain factors and recommendations.
Dr. Mohammed Al-Halawani, who works for Dr. Sulaiman Al-Habib medical group, answered our questions about napping and its influence on people:
What is napping?
Napping is when a person rests and sleeps for a period of between 10 and 30 minutes. It definitely helps students and teenagers to get the rest their bodies need. Studies have also shown that napping helps to reduce the chances of heart attacks, strokes, stress and depression. It has also been proven to regulate heartbeat and breathing.
Naps between 10 and 30 minutes are the norm, which helps revitalize the brain and improve memory. Any time longer than that would lead to laziness and sluggishness, since the sleeper reaches deep sleep after 30 minutes. If one wakes up before getting enough deep sleep, he or she would be sluggish, which is a normal physiological phase after waking up suddenly from deep sleep. It affects concentration and mental abilities anywhere from a few seconds to 30 minutes.
When are the best and worst times to nap?
This differs from one person to another, depending on what time they wake up and when they go to sleep at night, and it also depends on each person’s biological clock. When a person feels sleepy, whether at night or during the day, their body temperature decreases, and this may happen any time between noon and 5 p.m. ccording to each person’s sleeping pattern, and how much sleep they got the night before. However, it is usually hard to nap two to four hours before nighttime. In short, it is hard to pinpoint the exact time preferable for a nap for everyone in general.
When is a nap necessary?
A nap is necessary if a person has not had enough sleep the night before. Studies also have shown that napping has many benefits, it improves a person’s mood, decreases tiredness and sleepiness, stimulates the brain into better functioning while tackling logical or mathematical problems, and improves a person’s reaction. If sleepy, taking a nap has proven to be much better than consuming caffeine or stimulating drugs. In fact, taking a nap helps in regulating the functions of the body.
How does napping affect students?
Napping can be positive for students, especially after suffering from mental stress, which can afflict them after a long day at school. It will help their brain recuperate and then they can go back with renewed mental vigor to recall lessons and process information much better, which in turn will enhance their overall academic achievements.
However, napping could also have a negative impact. That can happen if napping time exceeds half an hour, resulting in deep sleep. After a long nap, a person could suffer from a bad mood, laziness and poor mental alertness. It can also have a negative effect if the nap is taken immediately after a heavy meal or very late in the afternoon.
Does napping replace a good night’s sleep?
Yes, napping can compensate for fewer hours of sleep at night, but there is a limit, since nighttime sleep is very necessary for the body and mind to rest, recuperate and function properly.
General warnings and precautions:
• Families make several mistakes when it comes to allowing their children to take naps, such as telling them to do so after eating a heavy lunch, which is medically a big mistake. After eating, the body needs all its energy to digest food, but if a person sleeps immediately after a meal, the digestive system becomes sluggish, including the brain and blood circulation and food is not digested properly. Therefore, it is best to have a light meal before a nap.
• In fact, the problem with taking a nap right after a heavy meal does not only affect digestion, it could also cause nightmares and uneasiness. The pancreas does not function properly and this affects the metabolism.
• Mothers should encourage their children to do some activity after meals and before taking naps. It is best not to allow them to nap for too long, since that also disrupts nighttime sleep.
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